Wishful Thinking
by Pen Sil
Summary: They both know she loves him too much for her own good.


**Wishful Thinking**

He thinks she'd be perfectly suitable as queen of his country. With naive faith in all the people she meets, a power far beyond comprehension stuck in her hair, far too much love to give and beautiful smiles that light up her face too often in spite of her life, of the political unrest in her world and her family. Sindria's people would adore her.

Unfortunately, she is his perfect pawn in the Kou empire's court and she is of far better use to him there than she would be in his bed and his household.

He doesn't have time for a queen and children not that he isn't aware he needs them. He needs heirs to continue his line and he honestly wouldn't mind a consort he could trust. It's a feeble dream, though, and he knows someone like Ren Kougyoku would have a duty to report to her family even if she married. Maybe he's being paranoid.

The point, however, is that a queen would be a weakness and the children born even more so. They'd be targets for assassins and Al-Tharmen and he knows that if anything happened to such hypothetical little humans he would not hesitate to step onto the wrong path.

He knows she loves him. She loves him with an intensity and loyalty that frightens him sometimes. Though he'll say that to no one.

In another world, in another time, they might have met under different circumstances and he might have taken her with him on his adventures.

But it is wishful thinking.

* * *

She is aware she's showing weakness by letting her emotions run off with her, but she cannot be bothered to change. Showing emotions is what finally got her friends and family, people she could trust.

If she had continued closing herself off she would have probably ended up as some old geezer's concubine somewhere and she is eternally grateful to Ka Koubun for being as ambitious as he is. Because she was emotional she gained the friendship of Kouen, her older brother whom she adores, and with him most of the rest of her siblings. She'd become friends with Judal too, someone who had shown faith in her abilities as a warrior and spent time with her in the dungeon of Vinea.

She's made friends with Alibaba Saluja too, someone who could stand up for people, rebuild a nation, fight brilliantly with a short-sword and bind flower crowns. She'd always look up to him for he had come much farther than her in spite of the fact that they had had the same starting point.

And then there was that man...

* * *

She swirls her sword in an arc and steps into the next part of her routine.

It is morning and the weapon lies heavy in her hand. It is not an uncomfortable feeling. She steps to her right, swings her sword in an arc, enjoys the feeling of it cleaving the air and...

CLANG!

It meets the steal of another blade.

She freezes in surprise; no one has ever dared step into her routine like that. It is not courteous and it is dangerous.

Her eyes travel the length of the blade and immediately catches the metal vessel on his bare wrist. She gasps and takes a step back, gripping her sword tighter, her eyes flying upwards to see who it is.

"Good morning, Princess," Sinbad says when her eyes meet his.

Her heart plummets in her chest and her face immediately colours. She lifts her hand to shield her face only to remember that she is wearing a training uniform in white with no power to hide her. She lowers her arms and stands straight like a soldier. Bare and readable. "G-Good morning, King Sinbad. I trust that your sleep has been without fault."

His smile widens a little. "Quite," he says. "As always."

She sees something in his eyes that she does not quite trust and forces herself not to take a step back or start shaking.

"The Kou empire's beds are truly the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in," he continues pleasantly. He masks a step forward by yawning and stretching. It does not pass her by and she has to force herself to not retreat. She needs this trial to regain some of her self respect. "But I must admit I overslept so I missed my morning training with Jafar and he is still too insulted to take my apology -" his eyes dance in a way that tells her that this is not the entire truth "- would you honour me by taking his place?"

Now she does take a step back. She has heard Aladdin say that Sinbad is bright and easily pulls people in. Like the sun. Now the king's smile is disarming and a part of her wants her to believe it is all for her. And in this moment it is, just not for the right reasons.

"I'd have to decline, Your Highness," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "With my sincerest apologies and a most grateful mind for you are the one showing me great honour. However, you have a way of casting improper spells on your opponents while having friendly spars with them."

He laughs full out at this, making her feel all the more insulted. Before she's really aware of what he's doing he's kneeling in front of her with a flourish. He grabs her hand in a gentle hold and as he kisses her knuckles - much to her delight, embarrassment, and horror - he lifts his head and meets her gaze with one that is entirely too warm and alluring. "You've grown, Kougyoku," he says to her hand, his voice deep and rumbling.

Then he is standing, bowing, and telling her to enjoy the rest of her practice, before walking out, leaving her to catch her breath and hold back tears.

* * *

…she loves him too much for her own good.

* * *

Yup. She really does.

I think... well, I don't think that there's really a chance they'll end up together but I'll ship it anyway. Because Kougyouku smiles so brightly when she is happy and she deserves to be happy. And if he is what she wants then I think that is enough.

I didn't quite finish this the way I did the other Magi fic because... well... it seemed too closing. And with this one... well if I get an idea for what might happen next I MIGHT continue it, or I might write something based in the same "universe".

Anyway. Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment


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